Remember Where We Are Now
by fffan231
Summary: AAML songfic. Mrs. Ketchum throws a party for Ash. Will it become a day full of memorable events between him and Misty, and possibly, one of love? Please read and review.


Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon or any of the characters.

Hi. This is my first AAML, and my first pokemon fanfic based on the characters in the show. Mrs. Ketchum is going to throw a party for Ash, and Misty's nervous about her part in it. There's more to it, but I don't want to give too much away. This is a songfic. I don't want to spoil the song, so please read the story first, then check the notes after the story if you don't recognize the song.

I'm a huge, never-die fan of AAML, so here's one I wrote.

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Ages:

Ash: 16

Misty: 17

Brock: 18

We see our three heroes on their way to Pallet Town. Ash just competed in the Hoenn Pokemon League Championship. He decided it was time to take a break, and headed home, his best friends Misty, Brock, and Pikachu with him.

"Shut up shrimp!" Misty yelled at Ash, during one of their usual arguments.

"I'm taller than you now!" Ash retorted. "Why do you still call me shrimp!?" His first pokemon, Pikachu sat on his shoulder, sweat dropping at the pointless argument.

"Old habits die hard!" the girl snapped back.

"Then it'll be hard to break the habit of calling you a scrawny runt!"

"Hmph!" Misty turned her head away, her baby egg pokemon Togepi chirping in her arms.

Ash's face dropped, and he looked in the opposite direction.

_Why is it so hard to stop fighting?_ he thought, which was a big deal because he didn't think much, unless it was about his pokemon. But he had started thinking a lot more lately. About Misty.

_I hate yelling at her..._ he thought, his face dropping further. _Why do I still call her scrawny...? She's beautiful…_ He just lost himself deeper in his thoughts.

_.. Why can't I stop yelling at her when... I... love her…_

He had recently realized that those were the feelings he had for Misty. He was surprised to find that he had felt that way for a long time, but never realized it until he started thinking back. He started piecing together feelings he hadn't thought about before, and was shocked to find how he felt.

"Pikapi, Pikachu?" his electric mouse said, lightly patting his trainer's face with his paw.

"Hmm? Oh, I'm fine Pikachu," Ash answered, switching his gaze to Misty. The small pokemon followed his trainer's eyes, and saw what he was looking at. Pikachu just grinned and let his trainer be.

_Why do I always yell at him?_ Misty thought, now looking ahead of herself. _It's just like me to fall in love with the greatest guy in the world, then yell at him instead of telling him how I feel._ Her shoulders slumped, and her heart felt heavy.

_But there's no way I could tell him. How could he ever love me back? He thinks I hate him, and he doesn't think about anything but his pokemon..._

She looked in his direction, and found him staring at her with a blank expression.

"Ash...?" she said. He just kept staring, almost like he was in a trance.

"ASH!"

He jumped, and came back to his senses. "What?"

"Why were you staring at me?" she asked, annoyed.

"Uhhh..." Ash tried to think of an excuse. Not being able to think of one, he said "I wasn't staring at you.."

"Yes you were."

"No I wasn't."

"Were too!"

"Were not!"

"Were too!"

"Were not!"

"Were t-"

"ENOUGH!" Brock shouted, throwing his hands up.

The two young teens stopped abruptly and looked at him.

Brock put a hand on his forehead, took a deep breath, then said with a frustrated tone, "Can we just _stop_ the fighting for now?" He switched his gaze between the two, then directed his next words at Misty, sending her a message. "And just _get along?_"

She looked away a bit.

"Fine.." the two said in unison. They glared at each other, then continued walking.

Misty glanced at Brock, who gave her another warning look. She turned away.

_He's right.._ she thought. _I gotta be nice. If I don't stop, I'm gonna spoil the party…_

- - - - -

After Ash competed, and lost, in the League Championship, he was, of course, feeling down. He called his mom to say hi and told her he lost. As usual, she just beamed and told him not to let it get him down, and how proud she was that he tried his best.

She then asked if she could speak to Brock and Misty. Thinking nothing of it, he agreed, saying he had to get his pokemon anyway, who were being healed.

After he left, Mrs. Ketchum told her son's curious friends that she was going to throw him a party when he came home. They thought it was a great idea, and knew it would cheer him up. She told them when it was so they would be home on that day, but early so she could spend some time with Ash before the party started. They agreed, and hung up. Later that day, they managed to tell Pikachu about the party when Ash wasn't around.

- - - - -

The rest of the trip was quiet except for the sound of their footsteps, and the occasional chirp from Togepi. Misty tried to keep herself from arguing with Ash, making sure he wasn't in a bad mood when the party started. Ash just stared off into space, thinking about Misty again, not noticing questioning looks coming from Pikachu. Brock kept an eye on the two, looking for any signs of an outburst.

It was around noon when Pallet Town finally came into view.

"Yes! We're finally here!" Ash said, pulling himself out of his deep thought when he saw his hometown.

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed, his ears perking up.

Ash started running through the small town, his friends chasing after him.

"Alright!" Ash said as his house came into view. He waited long enough for Misty and Brock to catch up before opening the door and walking inside.

"Mom! We're here!" Ash shouted as Brock and Misty came in after him.

Mrs. Ketchum came out of the kitchen, her face beaming and her eyes filling with tears at the sight of her son.

"Ash! You're home!" she said, walking up to him and locking him in a tight hug.

"Mom!-Hey stop!" he said as she started kissing his cheek. Brock and Misty chuckled.

"Oh Ash, it's so good to have you home!" his mother beamed as she released him from her tight hug. She wiped her eyes. "Look at you! You've grown so much!"

"Thanks mom…" he said, blushing from embarrassment. His mother switched her gaze to his friends.

"Oh, hello Misty! Hello Brock!"

"Hi, Mrs. Ketchum!" the two said in unison.

"Have you been taking good care of my Ash?"

"Yes, ma'aam," Misty reassured.

"He needs a lot of looking after," Brock teased, making Ash lightly punch his shoulder.

"Pika!" Pikachu said, as he hadn't been greeted yet.

"Yes, hello Pikachu!" said Mrs. Ketchum, scratching under his chin. "I couldn't forget you!"

"Cha…" he said in delight, his foot starting to kick.

She backed away and looked at the group with a bright smile. "Well, I hope you're all hungry! I made lunch."

"Alright!" Ash whooped, Pikachu doing a small dance on his shoulder.

Brock and Misty chuckled again, but agreed, as they were hungry too.

"Ok, this way!" Mrs. Ketchum said as she led them into the kitchen.

They enjoyed as many hamburgers and fries as they could eat, along with cold beverages. Pikachu joined them, but mostly concentrated on a bottle of ketchup Ash's mom had given him.

Mrs. Ketchum asked Ash questions about his journey and his Pokemon League battle while they enjoyed the meal. Ash would excitedly answer the questions, happy to tell about his adventures. Occasionally, he would try to answer with his mouth full, making Misty roll her eyes at him while she fed Togepi. Mrs. Ketchum would just beam and say, "Don't talk with your mouth full, honey!" She was too happy to see him to scold him for bad table manners.

After the meal was finished, they all stayed at the table, continuing their conversation. Ash was able to answer more questions clearly now that he wasn't distracted by food.

"That's wonderful, dear!" Mrs. Ketchum beamed as she gathered up the dishes and brought them to the sink.

She started soaping them when she said, "Misty? Could you come here for a minute?"

"Of course, Mrs. Ketchum," Misty said. She turned to Pikachu. "Watch Togepi for me, ok?"

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed, still licking the cap of the ketchup bottle.

Misty got out of her chair and stood by Mrs. Ketchum.

"What is it?" she asked while Ash's mother put a clean plate on the counter.

"I already started preparing things for the party," Mrs. Ketchum started in an undertone, "But I need to finish some cooking and other things, which I'll ask Brock to help with."

"Ok," Misty said, nodding. _Why is she telling me this if she wants Brock's help?_

"I need you," Mrs. Ketchum continued, still using a hushed tone, "to keep Ash busy so he doesn't find out about the party."

Misty's eyes widened.

_What…?_ she thought, her chest filling with anxiety. _Doesn't that mean I... have to be alone with ...Ash..?_

She had been alone with him before, but that was a long time ago. Now, it was harder because her need to tell him how she felt about him got more and more desperate. She always wanted to, but she was afraid he didn't feel the same way.

But now, she didn't have a choice. If she didn't distract Ash, he would find out about the party.

_I don't have to tell him how I feel…_ she thought, but doubted her own words. If it were just the two of them, it would be hard not to tell him her feelings.

"Misty?" Mrs. Ketchum asked, worried about the girl who looked like she was going to be sick.

Misty jerked her head in her direction, trying her best to hide her nervousness and gradually blushing cheeks.

"H-how will I do that?" she asked, silently berating herself for stuttering.

Mrs. Ketchum smiled. "Oh, there are lots of nice places to go around here. Pallet Town may be small, but there are lots of things to do. You'll think of something."

Misty gulped. "Ok, no problem." She gave a nervous smile, which dropped almost instantly.

"Thank you dear," Mrs. Ketchum smiled. "The sooner you keep him busy, the better. We have a lot of things to prepare. Just be back here at five o'clock."

"Ok." Misty said, slightly beginning to sweat. She turned and started to walk back to the table on stiff legs.

Mrs. Ketchum returned her attention to the dishes and sighed. "Oh, that girl loves my Ash so much…"

Misty stopped in her tracks when she looked at Ash. She just stared, unable to move as she watched him laugh at something Brock said, his deep russet eyes sparkling.

His eyes were her favorite feature. They were beautiful, full of boyish charm, and still held the innocence they had since day she met him.

After Ash stopped laughing, he noticed Misty standing a few feet in front of him, staring at him with a blank look.

"Hey, Misty," he said, his brows knitting with concern, "You ok?"

Misty pulled herself out of her stupor. "Yeah! Everything's fine!" she said, shuffling her feet.

Ash glanced at Brock questioningly, then returned his attention to her.

_Come on!_ Misty thought to herself, the sweat now dripping down her cheek. _Just do it! You can finally be alone with him! Do it!_

"Umm..." Misty started, trying to gain a casual air, "Do you want to go look around town?"

To her relief, he said, "Sure, Misty. Where do you want to go?"

Misty tapped a finger against her thigh, unaware of Mrs. Ketchum slightly turning her gaze to her back, beaming from ear to ear. "Umm... nowhere specific, let's just look around."

"Ok," Ash said, getting out of his chair.

Misty sighed silently, trying to calm down.

"Mom," Ash said, "Me and Misty are gonna go look around for a while."

"Alright, honey," Mrs. Ketchum said, her still beaming face now looking at her chore. "Don't be away too long, ok?"

"Ok," he said. He turned to Misty. "I'm gonna get ready. I'll be right back, ok?"

Misty trembled as she looked in his eyes. "Ok…" she said, trying to stop her voice from shaking. He walked out of the kitchen and headed up the stairs. Pikachu finished his ketchup, and, seeing as Misty could watch Togepi now, followed his trainer.

When he was out of sight, Misty relaxed her shoulders. She started thinking to herself.

_Ok, you can do this…_ she took a deep breath. _You don't have to say anything to him. _But she knew it would be hard not to.

She suddenly felt like she was being watched. She turned in Brock's direction, and found him looking at her with a sly grin on his face.

"What?" she asked, dumbfounded.

"Oh, nothing," Brock said in a teasing voice, his sly grin getting bigger. Misty just glared at him, then looked away, embarrassed.

Mrs. Ketchum watched the two for a minute as she dried her hands with a towel.

"Brock?" she said, putting the towel down.

"Yes, Mrs. Ketchum?" he said, holding his teasing look a little longer before turning his attention to her.

"I already started the preparations, but I'll need your help with the rest of the cooking."

"Sounds great," Brock said, getting out of his chair.

"Oh, but could you do something else first?"

"Sure."

She pointed at a stereo that was set up on a small table, next to the sliding glass doors that led to the backyard. Some wires were attached to it and made there way out the doors.

"I moved some speakers into the backyard and attached them to the stereo. Could you make sure I did everything right?"

"Of course."

"Thank you, dear."

Brock headed to his chore while Misty stood waiting for Ash in anticipation.

- - - - -

"Will you stop it already Pikachu?" Ash said from within his room. Pikachu stood on Ash's bed, talking to his trainer.

"Pi Pika, Pikachu."

"I can't tell her how I feel," he answered as he took off his jacket and black t-shirt.

"Pi?"

Ash scratched the back of his head nervously before answering. "What if she doesn't feel the same?"

"Chu, Pika Pikachu, Pika Pi."

"She does feel the same? How do you know?"

Pikachu turned his head away and smirked. "Chu."

"Fine," Ash said, throwing his shirt on the floor and pulling a clean one out of his bag. "If you don't answer me, then you don't really know for sure."

- - - - -

Misty's foot started to tap, impatience and nervousness building. "What's taking him so long?" she finally said.

"Maybe he's having a fight with Pikachu," Brock chuckled, checking the stereo's last wire.

"Just go see if he's ready dear," Mrs. Ketchum said as she pulled various ingredients off a shelf. "If they are arguing, you can stop them. We can't make any big preparations until he leaves."

Misty sighed. "Alright." She headed up the stairs.

She found the door closed when she got to Ash's room. She sighed again, her stomach feeling sick with nervousness

She hesitated, then knocked. "Ash?"

- - - - -

In his annoyance at Pikachu, Ash didn't hear Misty say his name, only the door knock. He glared at the smirking yellow mouse before opening the door.

- - - - -

"Wha-" he started to say, then stopped as he saw Misty standing there. Misty couldn't control her face from turning bright red.

She had seen him without a shirt before, but that was when they were younger. Now, she could see the outlines of sturdy abs on his waist. Small, but strong biceps stuck out of his arms.

Ash's face turned bright red and his stomach lurched. He became tongue-tied, then shut the door quickly, almost slamming it in her face.

He took a deep breath and turned to look at Pikachu. Pikachu saw what happened, and started rolling around on the bed, laughing at the situation, and the look on his trainer's face.

"Shut up," Ash said angrily as he pulled a fresh shirt over his head, his face still beat red.

- - - - -

Misty just stood outside Ash's door, trying to control her blush.

_Oh my..._ she started, then lost her thoughts_. He's in such good shape!_ Her blush brightened.

_No!_ she thought, trying to calm the butterflies in her stomach. _You can't act like this when you're supposed to be distracting him. Just calm down._ She took a deep breath, her blush finally beginning to fade.

- - - - -

Ash straightened his shoulders and took a deep breath, his blush finally disappearing. He shot a glare at Pikachu, who was still rolling on the bed laughing, then opened the door.

- - - - -

Misty looked up as she saw the door open. Ash stood there, now wearing a black t-shirt. They both looked away and fought their blushes when their eyes met.

"I'm ready," Ash said, not looking at her.

"Ok," Misty said, also avoiding eye contact. "Let's go." Ash followed her as she led the way downstairs. Pikachu wiped tears of laughter from his eyes, then leapt off the bed and followed them.

"Ok, we're leaving now!" Ash called to his mother as he headed for the front door.

"Ok, honey!" she called back. Pikachu's ears perked up as he heard another voice call his name.

"Hey Pikachu, could you stay here and help me with something?" Brock called.

"Pika!" Pikachu called, knowing it was something for the party. He ran toward the kitchen.

"Will you watch Togepi for me, Pikachu?" Misty asked. He then turned around and said, "Pi!" He then looked at Ash, and said in a teasing voice, "Pika Pi, Pikachu!" (You two have fun!)

Pikachu's tone made Ash blush. He glared at the pokemon who disappeared into the kitchen.

Misty turned to Ash. "What did he say?"

Ash looked away from her to hide his red face. "Nothing. Let's go." And walked out the door. Misty paused, then shrugged and followed him.

- - - - -

Pikachu entered the kitchen and saw the two humans getting ready to cook. He first went to Togepi, who began tearing up when she saw her mother leave.

"Pika pi," Pikachu said, patting her on the head. She chirped and cheered up right away. He told her to stay there, then trotted over to Brock.

"Chu?" he questioned the breeder. Brock turned and looked at him with a grin.

"Hi, Pikachu. I wanted to let you in on a little plan I just thought of for Ash and Misty, but I'll tell you later." The electric mouse cocked his head.

"And, I thought we should let them be alone." He winked. Pikachu smiled.

"I have something you can do while you wait, Pikachu," Mrs. Ketchum said.

"Cha!" he looked at his trainer's mother in delight.

"I started putting up some decorations outside," Mrs. Ketchum explained, "But the tables need their table cloths and centerpieces. Could you put them on?" She knew that even though he was a small pokemon, he would do a good job, and it would keep him busy for a while, as they were big tables.

"Pika!" Pikachu said, saluting her. She smiled as she watched him motion for Togepi to follow, then run out the open door, the small egg pokemon following.

Mrs. Ketchum eyed Brock with a smile as she pulled something out of the fridge. "Are you going to tell me what this plan is?" she asked.

Brock smiled. "Of course. You'll want to be there for it." He started explaining, Mrs. Ketchum's smile getting wider as he continued.

- - - - -

Ash and Misty started walking down the road, gradually regaining their usual moods as their embarrassment from the previous incident faded.

_Where are we gonna go? _Misty thought. _I don't really know what's here_. She put a hand on her cheek, a thoughtful look on her face._ We shouldn't go to the lab to see Ash's pokemon. I'll never be able to get him to leave._ She knitted her eyebrows, trying to think of something that would keep them busy for a few hours.

She was interrupted as Ash said, "Hey Misty, you like baseball?"

Misty looked at him and blinked. _Baseball?_

"Umm... I don't know. I never played it."

"I never really played it either," Ash said. "But I do like hitting the ball with the bat. Wanna try it?"

"...Sure," Misty said. She didn't care much for sports, but she couldn't think of anything else to do. Maybe it would be fun since it was just the two of them.

"Ok, come on," he said, grabbing her hand and leading the way.

As soon as their hands touched, Misty's face turned so red she felt hot. She looked away quickly, letting him lead her along.

_Oh my gosh..._ she thought, _He's holding my hand...!_ She felt short of breath.

_No... He doesn't mean it that way... Could he...?_

Ash was glad Misty was trailing slightly behind him, so she couldn't see his red face.

_Why did I do that!?_ he thought frantically. _Why am I holding her hand!? She's gonna find out how I feel! _He shook his head slightly, trying to calm himself. _Nah... she thinks I hate her... she won't figure it out..._

They both kept to their own thoughts, trying to control their blushes, as Ash led Misty down the road. He turned into a small park and led her through it.

They reached a grassy area that had a small chain fence, almost like the one's used in softball. There were a couple of baseball bats and a bucket of baseballs leaning against it. It was a park, so they were put there for anyone to use.

"Here we are," Ash said, releasing Misty's hand. He walked over to the fence and picked up a baseball bat.

"You wanna go first?" he asked, absent-mindedly spinning it in his hands.

Misty eyed the baseballs. "Ummm... I don't know how… Can you show me?"

"Sure," Ash answered, retrieving a ball from the bucket.

_Wow,_ Misty thought as she watched him_. He didn't make fun of me for not knowing how to do something..._

Ash positioned himself a few feet away from her. He threw the baseball above himself, watched it come down, and swung with all his might. He hit it with a great smack, and it soared away.

Misty's mouth dropped as she watched the ball fly out into the field. _Wow... he's good._

Ash turned his attention to Misty after the ball fell to the ground. "Ok, ready to try?"

Misty just nodded sheepishly.

He handed the bat to her and showed her how to hold it. Misty's face went pink as his hand went over hers, showing her where to place them. He was behind her, so she didn't see his face was pink as well.

"Umm... Ash?" Misty said as he backed away.

"What?"

"I don't think I can throw the ball in the air like you did. I'll forget how to hold the bat."

"Ok," Ash said, getting another ball from the bucket. "I'll pitch it to you."

Misty's eyes became wide. She didn't know much about baseball, but she knew how hard pitchers threw the ball.

"I-I don't know..."

"I won't throw it hard," Ash reassured her. She nodded nervously, so he headed out into the field.

Since he was going to throw it gently, he positioned himself closer than a baseball pitcher would.

"Ready?" he asked. Misty gulped, then nodded.

Ash pulled his arm back, and threw the ball gently and smoothly, which would have gone right over the plate, if there were one.

Misty panicked as she saw the ball coming at her. Instead of swinging the bat, she screamed, dropping the bat as she covered her head.

Ash saw her panic and laughed.

"You're supposed to swing," he said through chuckles.

Misty uncovered her head and glared at him. "I know! I... wasn't ready!"

Ash chuckled. "Ok," he said as he walked to the fence and retrieved the same ball.

Misty glared at him, and picked the bat up.

They both got back into their positions, Misty making sure she was holding the bat right.

"Ready?" Ash asked in a teasing tone.

"Just throw it!" Misty shot angrily.

Ash smiled, and gently made another pitch.

In her anger, Misty swung as hard as she could. She swung too hard, missed, and spun in a full circle before falling to the ground.

Ash burst out laughing. He bent down and gasped for air, his eyes tearing up.

Misty's face turned red from embarrassment and anger. Her face became hard as she yelled, "Shut up, Ash! I've never played before, so it's not my fault!"

Ash straightened up, wiping tears out of his eyes. "That doesn't make it any less funny!" he said between gasps.

Misty glared at him and stood up quickly. "Well!? Are you gonna throw another ball or not!?"

"Sure," Ash chuckled, heading over to get the ball. Misty put her hands on the bat and repositioned herself while he walked back out to the field.

Ash finally calmed down, but still had a small smirk on his face. He got ready to throw the ball.

"Come on!" Misty yelled. Ash smiled, then pulled his arm back and threw the ball.

Misty watched the approaching ball and, using her anger, swung with all her might.

Her arms trembled as the bat made contact with the ball with a great smack. She opened her eyes just in time to see it fly out into the field.

Right into Ash's stomach.

He fell to his knees, clutching his stomach with both hands, gritting his teeth.

"ASH!" Misty yelled, dropping the bat and running out to him. She knelt next to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Oh, Ash, I'm sorry! I didn't mean it! Are you ok?"

Ash lifted his head with an effort, and looked at her. "Nice hit," he said with a hoarse voice.

"Oh, I'm sorry..." Misty repeated. She helped him get into a sitting position, then sat next to him. She kept her eyes on him, pure guilt on her face.

Ash just sat there for a few minutes. He was surprised at how long it took for the pain to subside.

_She hit that ball hard..._ he thought as he rubbed his stomach, finally starting to feel better.

Misty watched him the whole time. _I always manage to hurt him in one way or another…_ she thought bitterly. She brightened as his pained face began to soften.

"You ok?" she asked, worry in her voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Misty sighed and slumped back down. She grinned a bit.

"You know, you deserved that..." she teased.

Ash looked at her and grinned, remembering how he laughed at her. "Yeah, I did..."

They both laughed. Ash stopped almost right away as his stomach started hurting again. Misty smiled nervously and apologized again. She let him rest for a few more minutes.

"Well, now what do you wanna do?" Ash asked, the pain finally almost gone.

"I don't know," Misty said thoughtfully.

Ash knitted his eyebrows as he thought. He grinned to himself.

"Hey, why don't we go look at the lake?"

Misty looked at him. "There's a lake here?"

"Yeah! We don't have to swim or anything, we can just go look." He suggested it because he knew how much she loved the water.

Misty smiled. "Sounds great!" she said, jumping up.

"Ok," Ash said. "Let's pick up the baseballs first." He started to stand up, then stopped and put a hand back on his stomach as the pain surged again.

"Ash!" Misty cried, catching him before he fell. "Are you sure you're ok?" she asked while she helped him stand.

Ash cleared his head, then said, "Yeah, I'm fine. It just hurt because I was trying to stand. It'll be gone after a little while."

"Ok…" Misty said, removing her hands from his arm. He smiled and headed out into the field to get the baseballs.

After they put everything back, they left the park and headed farther down the road. It only took a few minutes for them to come upon a hill dotted with trees that overlooked a vast, blue lake.

"Wow..." Misty awed at the water as they walked to the hill's edge.

Ash looked at her and smiled. He let her enjoy the sight while he looked at the slope in front of them. It was about a hundred feet to the water.

His smile changed to a mischievous grin. He quickly touched her arm and said, "You're it!" And started running down the hill.

"Hey!" Misty smiled, chasing him down the steep slope.

She started catching up to him about halfway down, both of them laughing and trying not to lose their balance.

Before she could tag him, her shoe caught on something and she tripped, crashing into his back. They both rolled the rest of the way down the hill, just barely missing big rocks and sticks.

At the bottom, Ash landed on his back, feeling dazed. Before he could clear his head, the wind was knocked out of him as Misty landed on top of him.

They both looked at each other's almost touching faces. They turned as red as Misty's hair.

Misty's eyes widened. "…H-Hi…" she stuttered.

"...Hi..." Ash said, after his breath returned. They just stayed there, both shocked in their awkward position.

Misty looked into his deep russet eyes. _They're so beautiful…_

"Uh... Misty?" Ash said after a few seconds of silence.

"Yeah?" Misty asked, a dreamy look on her face.

"...Could you get off me?"

Misty's eyes became wide, and she quickly got off, her face becoming more red, if that was possible.

"Sorry…" she said, trying to hide her face. She got up and started walking the rest of the way to the water. Ash started sitting up.

_Wow, I'm really glad Pikachu didn't see that..._ Ash thought. _He would've made fun of me forever._

Ash walked to the small beach and found Misty sitting on it, looking out at the waves with her chin resting on her knees.

Ash sighed and sat down next to her, one leg lying forward, and the other with his knee bent upward, which he rested his arm on.

Ash watched the waves for a minute, letting the soft breeze hit his face. He switched his gaze to Misty and watched the breeze lightly play with her red air, her bangs falling in front of her solemn face.

_What is she thinking?_ Ash wondered, his eyebrows starting to meet. His face softened again as he thought, _She's so beautiful..._

Misty continued to stare at the waves, unaware of the boy's gaze on her.

_This isn't going very well..._ she thought. Her heart felt like a brick in her chest. _Sure, I'm distracting him, but it's getting harder to keep myself from telling him how I feel..._ She silently frowned.

_He'd just laugh at me... Or maybe he'd get mad... then the party would be ruined, and he probably wouldn't want to be my friend anymore..._

She sighed, and glanced at him. She was surprised to see him staring at her.

"Ash? Why are you staring at me?"

"Hmm...?" Ash said quietly. He heard her, but just realized that she was looking at him.

"Uh, no reason!" he said quickly, changing his stare to the sand in front of him.

Misty looked at him questioningly. _That's the second time today I caught him staring at me... _she thought. She felt her heart lift slightly. _...Does he... maybe... like me...?_

"...Ash?" she said, her voice shaking. Ash hesitantly looked at her.

"Umm..." she stopped herself.

_I can't... I can't just ask him... I'm probably wrong..._

Ash waited for her to continue. "...What?" he said when she wasn't forthcoming.

Misty sighed silently in her own defeat, frustrated that she avoided it again, and tried to think of something else to say.

"Ummm... when did you first realize that you wanted to be a pokemon trainer?"

Ash blinked at the unexpected question. He thought for a minute.

"Well, I've wanted to be one for as long as I can remember," he answered. "Almost like I was born with it..."

Misty nodded slightly and looked away.

Ash frowned. _Why is she so sad...?_

"Hey," he said, trying to get her attention. She looked at him.

He glanced to the side, trying to think of something to say. "When did you first realize you loved water pokemon?"

Misty blinked and perked up. _He actually cares about something like that?_

"Well..." she started, surprised at the look of interest on his face, "I just know that I've always loved water, and oceans... so when it came to pokemon, I loved water types. It's like I was born with it, too..." She watched as Ash smiled, making her melt.

_That smile..._ she thought, _I love it... I love his eyes..._

_I love you, Ash..._

They gazed at each other, until Misty realized she almost said that aloud, and turned away.

She tapped a finger on her knee, trying to keep the conversation casual. "Umm…" she started, as she looked back at his puzzled face, "What about pokemon? Did you have one when you were little, or was Pikachu your first pokemon ever, not just your first one when you became a trainer?"

Ash lost himself in her cerulean blue eyes as he answered.

"No. Pikachu was my first pokemon."

Misty nodded, and looked back out at the waves.

"What about you?" Ash asked quickly. "Which pokemon was your first one?"

She looked back into russet eyes, surprised as how much caring was in them.

"...Starmie. When I was seven, my sister's gave her to me when she was still a Staryu."

Ash nodded. He looked back out at the water.

They didn't know how long they were sitting there. They mostly watched the waves, asking each other various questions. It was hard for them both to keep their feelings in. But they each feared that the other wouldn't return the feelings.

_What if Pikachu was right?_ Ash thought. _Maybe she does feel the same..._ He silently wracked his brain, trying to decide if he should risk it. He took a deep breath and tried to gather some courage.

_I have to tell her eventually... I hope you're right, Pikachu..._

Ash looked at Misty, her fiery red hair teasing her face in the light breeze, and her eyes focused on the waves of the lake.

Anxiety built up in is chest. He began to feel nauseous.

Finally, he said, "...Misty?" She looked at him.

A lump formed in his throat. He blushed a little, then scooted closer to her.

Misty's stomach turned upside down, her face turning pink.

"Ummm..." he started, pushing words past the worsening lump in his throat. He avoided her eyes. "I... want to tell you something..."

Misty's eyes widened. _Is he...? No, he can't be... but..._

He finally looked up. He lost his train of thought as he let himself drown in her cerulean eyes, his heart beating faster.

Misty's heart quickened as well as she stared into his sparkling russet eyes.

They just stared, then started moving closer... and closer...

- - - - -

"Ok, they're done," Brock said as he pulled some freshly baked rolls out of the oven.

"Good," Mrs. Ketchum said as she put some cookie dough onto a baking sheet. "Then the only thing left is the cookies. Thank you dear, you can rest now."

"Thanks," Brock said, setting the rolls next to the mass of other dishes they had prepared.

Wiping sweat from his brow, Brock went out into the living room and sat on the couch. He took a deep breath and laid his head back.

_Ah... My work is done..._ he thought, pleased. He sat back up abruptly with a grin.

"No it isn't!" he beamed as he walked back into the kitchen. He passed Mrs. Ketchum as she put the cookies in the oven, and headed out the glass doors into the backyard.

As he entered, he saw Pikachu setting a vase of flowers on one of the now clothed tables, Togepi standing next to him, clapping.

"Hey, it looks great, Pikachu!" Brock complimented as he approached the electric mouse.

"Pika!" Pikachu smiled, putting up two fingers.

Brock stopped at the table and patted the chirping Togepi on the head before returning his attention to Pikachu.

"Are you ready to hear the plan?"

"Cha!" Pikachu said excitedly.

"Ok, here it is..." Pikachu's ears perked more and more as the plan was told. It was simple, but perfect.

- - - - -

_He... he wants to kiss me?_ Misty thought as her face got closer to Ash's, her heart threatening to burst out her chest. _Then... maybe he does like me! I didn't have to worry about ruining our friendship, or the party..._

Her eyes snapped open.

_The party!_

She jumped up, startling Ash so much he almost fell backwards. She looked at her watch. _It's almost five o'clock!_

She grabbed Ash's hand, ignoring the puzzled look on his face.

"What are you-" he started, but was interrupted as Misty pulled him up.

"We have to go!" she said, then started dragging him back to the hill.

She let him go so they could both get up the hill more easily, ignoring his questions as to why she was rushing. When they reached the top of the hill, she grabbed his hand again and ran back down the trail to his house.

- - - - -

"Hello Professor, hello Tracey!" Mrs. Ketchum greeted two of the party guests at the front door.

"Hello, Delia," Professor Oak said.

"Hi, Mrs. Ketchum!" Tracey waved.

"Come on in, the party will be in the backyard."

They followed her through the glass doors, entering a yard that now bustled with about fifteen guests. Most of them were Mrs. Ketchum's friends, many who knew Ash since he was a baby. The smell of the many dishes on the tables filled the air.

After the two guests joined the crowd, Mrs. Ketchum announced, "Ok! Ash should be here any minute. Don't forget, this is a surprise party." Everyone understood, and went back to their conversations as she went back into the house to watch for Ash through the front window.

"Hey Brock!" Tracey said, shaking the breeder's hand.

"Hey, Tracey! How's it going?"

"Great! Professor Oak's got me busy, and I'm learning a lot. How's it going with you?"

"Great. I'm having fun traveling with Ash. I learn a lot on our journeys."

"That's good," Tracey said. He looked around a bit. "So, Ash doesn't know about the party, huh?"

"Nope."

"Then where is he? And where's Misty? I haven't seen her, either."

Brock grinned slyly. "Misty's job was to keep Ash busy so he wouldn't find out about the party."

The two teens laughed, as they both knew about Ash and Misty's refusal to tell each other how they felt.

- - - - -

"Misty! What are you doing!?" Ash asked, still being dragged along behind Misty.

Misty ignored him and looked at her watch. _We're late! Not by much, but we have to hurry!_

She continued to drag him along until his house was in sight.

- - - - -

Mrs. Ketchum saw Misty dragging her son along down the road. She closed the curtain to the living room window and hurried to the back yard.

"Everyone, they're coming!"

They all started to hide, mostly just on the side of the house, where they couldn't be seen from the front door.

- - - - -

Misty finally let go of Ash's hand when they made it to the front door. She bent over and tried to catch her breath.

"Misty," Ash said, gasping, "What... are you doing?"

Misty stood up and pointed at the door. "Just... go in," she said, breathing heavily.

Ash waited for his breath to relax, eyeing her suspiciously, then slowly opened the door.

- - - - -

He saw no one inside as he walked in. He entered the kitchen and found no one, Misty following close behind.

He eyed her again, then opened the sliding doors that led to the backyard...

"SURPRISE!"

He jumped as he saw a bunch of people come from their hiding places and shout. They all began clapping, Misty joining them.

Ask looked dumbfounded, then saw his mother come through the crowd and give him a quick hug.

"Uhh... Mom?" he asked. "What's going on?"

"It's a party, for you!" she said, beaming. "You deserve it after all your hard work on your journeys."

Ash looked at all the people who smiled at him. He looked down as some people moved their feet. Pikachu came from the crowd, carrying Togepi. He set her down in front of Misty, who picked her up and hugged her, while he jumped into Ash's arms, licking his face.

Ash laughed. "Well, thanks everybody!" They all clapped again.

"PARTY!" Brock yelled. He went into the kitchen and turned the stereo on.

The crowd then turned into one big conversation. They put food on their plates, and snacked while they enjoyed themselves.

Brock came back outside and put a hand on Ash's shoulder. "Great party, huh?"

"Yeah," he agreed. He eyed them. "You guys knew about it didn't you?"

"Yep," they said in unison.

"For how long?"

"Since the Pokemon League match in Hoenn," Brock answered.

"Whoa," Ash said.

"Yeah, now go have fun!" Brock said, then entered the crowd.

Ash looked at Misty, who was talking to Togepi.

"So, that's why you wanted to go look around town?" he asked.

"Yeah," she answered, a little surprised he figured that out. "Why?"

His face became pained, and looked away. "Nothing."

Misty heart dropped as she saw hurt on his face. ..._What did I do..?_

"Ash? What's the matter...?" she asked, concern in her voice.

He glanced at her. "Nothing," he said, then walked away.

"Ash!? Wait!" She tried to follow him, but stopped as she figured it out. Her heart dropped further and she felt sick.

_He... He thinks I didn't want to be alone with him..._ she thought. _He thinks I just did it for the party... _She fought a tear, thinking of how much she hurt him. But she knew he wouldn't listen if she tried to apologize. Instead, she walked in the opposite direction into the crowd.

- - - - -

Ash managed to get past all the people without them stopping him to talk.

_She didn't want to kiss me..._ Ash thought, his stomach feeling sick. _I bet she didn't even want to spend time with me... she just did it because she had too..._

He made his way to an empty corner of the yard, set Pikachu down, and sat with his back against the fence.

Pikachu watched his trainer, worried.

"Pika, Pikachu?"

Ash looked at his pokemon. "What do you mean 'What's wrong?' Misty didn't want to spend time with me! She just did it for the party." He looked away. "I guess you were wrong."

"Pi Pika, Pika Pikachu?"

"No, she didn't say she only did it for the party," Ash said, "But it's obvious."

Pikachu jumped into his trainer's lap and looked at him sternly.

"Pi, Pika Pikachu, Pika Pika. Pi, Pikachu." (She did want to spend time with you. Trust me.)

Ash sighed. "If you say so."

Pikachu got closer and playfully patted his trainer's cheek. "Pika Pika! Pi Pika Pikachu!" (Come on! Enjoy the party!)

Ash couldn't help but smile. "You're right." He stood up, the electric mouse jumping onto his shoulder, and walked back to the crowd.

After clearing his head, Ash began to enjoy himself. He talked to a lot of people, most of them he knew since he was little. They would congratulate him on all his accomplishments and ask him a few questions, which he gladly answered. He also talked to Professor Oak, who also congratulated him on doing so wonderfully on his pokemon journeys. He got a chance to talk to Tracey, who he hadn't seen in a while, and listened to some of the interesting things the young professor's assistant had learned.

Once that was done, he piled a plate high with food, sampling a bit of everything. Pikachu ate some food, then went into the house and came back out with two bottles of ketchup. He set one on a table for the guests, then began licking the open cap of the second one.

The party lasted for hours, full of good food and conversation.

When the party started to die down, Ash realized he hadn't seen Misty since it started.

- - - - -

It began to get dark, so the guests started to leave. Ash started looking for Misty. _Even though I still think she didn't want to spend any time with me, I shouldn't have left her like that. I should apologize._

He walked toward his house, Pikachu following him. When he got to the glass doors, he found Brock.

"Hey, Brock!" Ash called as he approached.

"Hey Ash," Brock greeted him. "Did you like the party?"

"Yeah it was great. Have you seen Misty?"

Brock frowned a bit, thinking. "Now that you mention it, I saw her a couple times after the party started, but that was quite a while ago."

Ash looked at the ground. _Did I upset her...? Why would she be upset? _

"Ok, thanks Brock."

"Sure."

Ash entered his house. He saw his mom at the front door, seeing the last of the guests off.

"Bye!" Mrs. Ketchum waved as she closed the door. Ash walked up to her.

"Mom?"

"Ash! Did you like your party, honey?"

"Yeah, it was great. Thanks for throwing it for me."

"You're welcome sweetie!" she said, kissing his cheek. "Now, did you want to ask me something?"

"Yeah. Have you seen Misty?"

"Hmmm... I haven't seen her in a while, dear."

Ash sighed. "Ok..."

Mrs. Ketchum frowned. "Is something wrong Ash?"

"No... Thanks." _Maybe she's in one of the guest rooms._

Without another word, he headed up to check, Pikachu chasing after him. Mrs. Ketchum watched her son with concern.

Ash knocked on the door of the first guest room. "Misty!" he called. No answer.

He slowly opened the door, and found the room empty. He shut the door and repeated his actions at the second room. No one was there.

Ash shut the door and frowned. He looked at Pikachu. "Where did she go?"

"Pika..." The small pokemon didn't know.

He walked back down the stairs and went into the backyard. He sat down in one of the lawn chairs and sighed. It was now completely dark, but the yard was fairly lit from the lights that were attached above the doors outside. Pikachu jumped in his lap, looking at his trainer with worry.

_Where did she go?_ Ash thought. _Is she mad at me...? __I guess it was kinda rude to just leave her earlier... But why would she disappear because of it? I wouldn't even have any idea where to start looking..._

- - - - -

Misty sat at the small beach Ash brought her to earlier that day. She sat similar to the way she had before, but had a sleeping Togepi in her lap. She stared out at the waves, even as the night began to take over. But the sun hadn't completely set, so there was still a little light.

_Maybe I shouldn't have just left the party like that..._ she thought, a slight breeze playing with her hair.

_No... it's better that I did. Ash definitely enjoyed the party more without me there._ She stroked her baby pokemon's head while she thought.

_He'd probably be better off without me at all... I'm always hurting him..._ A few small tears escaped her eyes_. But... he was upset when he thought I didn't want to be alone with him... It.. doesn't mean he feels the way I do, but… he at least wants me around.._

She wiped her eyes and watched the waves until it was almost too dark to see.

_I better get back…_ she thought, as she shivered in the night air. She got up carefully so she wouldn't wake Togepi. She took one last look at the water, then headed back.

- - - - -

When Misty arrived at the house, it was completely dark outside. She slowly opened the door, assuming everyone must be asleep. A few small lights were on, and the lights in the backyard were still on, but she thought she better be quiet.

She made her way up the stairs and into one of the guest rooms. She carefully tucked Togepi into the bed, making sure she didn't wake the small egg pokemon. She gave her a kiss on the head, then sighed.

She wasn't tired, so she went back downstairs.

She looked around the living room, glancing at pictures on the wall. She thought maybe she could just relax in the backyard, so she headed that way.

When she walked through the open door, she was surprised to see Ash sitting in one of the chairs.

Ash felt another presence, and turned his head to see who it was. His eyes became wide when he saw Misty.

"MISTY!" Ash almost yelled, standing up quickly, sending the mouse pokemon on his lap flying. Pikachu landed on his feet, unharmed.

"Where were you!? I was so worried!"

Misty's eyes widened and her face became pink. _He was... worried about me?_

Ash started blushing when he realized how obvious he was.

"Uhh, I mean," he started, scratching the back of his head. "I just didn't know where you were, so..."

He stopped and watched as Pikachu ran into the house. The mouse pokemon gave a sly grin before disappearing through the kitchen.

Ash turned his attention back to Misty.

"Look…" he started, his blush brightening when he made eye contact. "I'm... sorry I just walked away from you earlier..." He scooted his foot across the ground nervously. Misty just stood and listened.

"I thought, you know... maybe you didn't want to spend time with me... I thought maybe you just did it for the party..."

Misty looked at the ground for a minute, putting her hands together nervously. "Well... she said, "You're mom asked me to make sure you were busy so you wouldn't find out about the party..." She quickly continued as his face fell.

"But... I did want to spend time alone with you... I... have for a long time..."

Ash looked at her. He smiled as he looked in her cerulean blue eyes.

"I… did have fun," Ash said. Misty gazed into his sparkling russet eyes.

"Me too..." She looked at the ground and grinned. "Especially when I paid you back for laughing at me."

They both laughed.

- - - - -

Pikachu ran up the stairs and into the guest room Brock was using.

"Pikapi Pika Pikachupi Pikachu!" he smiled, pointing at the stairs.

"Ash and Misty are alone in the backyard!?" Brock asked excitedly.

"Pi!" Pikachu said, grinning.

Brock got up. "Time for the plan!"

They made their way to Mrs. Ketchum's room and, after knocking on the door and telling her, the three of them went downstairs and into the kitchen. They made sure they stayed on the side so the two young teens couldn't see them through the door.

They stopped in front of the stereo. Brock grinned and nodded at the other two, who returned the nod. Brock opened the stereo's disc holder, put in a cd that he pulled out of his pocket, and pressed the button.

- - - - -

Ash and Misty's laughter faded as they heard soft music. They looked at the speakers, and heard a song start playing.

"Who's playing with the stereo?" Ash wondered, making a move to go turn it off. Misty stepped forward and gently took his hand. He turned his attention to her.

"Ash?" she said, blushing.

He looked at their touching hands, then back at her face. "Yeah…?"

"You... wanna dance?"

Ash got butterflies in his stomach. He looked in her eyes, and smiled.

"Sure."

Misty put both of her hands on his chest, while Ash put his arms around her. They moved their feet around slowly as the words began to play.

_Remember _

_The moment you face_

_Is it all straight ahead, or behind you..._

Well, maybe 

_If you look around, you'll see everything's perfectly clear_

_Picture it all in your mind..._

Misty rested her head on Ash's chest. He moved one of his hands and put on the back of her head, gently pulling her closer.

_Remember where we are now_

_Open your eyes, and take it all in_

_Remember where we are now_

_This is where your life begins_

The three in the kitchen were now able to stand in the doorway and watch, unnoticed by the two teens.

_You feel like you're, lost in the crowd_

_Watching life go on without you_

_Well, baby_

_It's your turn to shine_

_Everything's starting right here_

_Don't leave this moment behind..._

Misty gripped Ash's shirt. She closed her eyes, her heart full of joy. Ash smiled and rested his cheek on the top of her head.

_Remember where we are now_

_Open your eyes, and take it all in_

_Remember where we are now_

_This is where your life begins_

Pikachu watched his trainer, tears filling his eyes. Brock and Mrs. Ketchum let theirs fall, Mrs. Ketchum softly saying, "My little Ash is in love..."

_Don't look away_

_It's the life that you choose, now believe it_

_There'll come a day_

_When you look up and see how good you are with me_

_Remember where we are now_

_Open your eyes, and take it all in..._

Misty opened her eyes as the chorus repeated. She smiled, tears running down her cheeks. She felt in her heart, she was ready. _I can do it..._

She moved her head from his chest and looked into his russet eyes.

"Ash..?" she started.

"Yeah?" Ash said, gently wiping some of her tears away.

"I... I want to tell you something... I have for a long time..." She paused, losing herself into his eyes.

"I love you."

She felt like she had a weight lifted off her shoulders. She finally did it. She told Ash how she felt about him. Now, she waited for his answer, not sure if it was the same.

Her heart lifted when she saw him smile.

"I love you too," he said softly.

More tears rolled down Misty's cheeks as he slowly came in and pressed his lips onto hers...

_Remember where we are now_

_Open your eyes, and let love begin_

_Remember where we are now_

This is where your life begins 

_Oh, remember..._

They parted from their kiss and smiled at each other. They lost themselves into each other's eyes, tears starting to fill Ash's.

_Remember..._

_Oh remember..._

_This is where your life begins_

As the song faded, Brock couldn't contain himself anymore.

"WHOOOO!!!" he whooped, throwing a fist in the air. The two dancing teens jumped and looked at him abruptly.

"It worked!" Brock said, leaning over and giving Pikachu a high five. Ash and Misty glanced at each other, confused.

"What worked?" they said in unison.

Brock's grin covered his face. "I knew if we could get you guys alone out here and play a song, you wouldn't be able to hold it in anymore and tell each other how you feel!"

Ash and Misty looked at each other. They blushed and turned away with nervous smiles.

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu ran to Ash and leapt on his shoulder. He let his tears fall as he nuzzled his trainer's cheek.

Ash laughed and rubbed his pokemon's head. "You were in on it too, huh?"

"Cha!" Pikachu grinned, licking his trainer's face. He looked at Misty, then jumped into her arms, nuzzling her.

She laughed. "Thanks, Pikachu," she said, scratching his head.

Brock looked dumbfounded. "Hey! What about me!?" he retorted. They looked at him.

"It was my idea!"

Ash and Misty grinned at each other slyly.

"Thanks, Brock," they said in a teasing tone. Brock just looked away, but smiled.

"Oh, Ash." Ash looked at his mother, who stood in the doorway, crying hysterically in her happiness. "You're growing up so fast."

"Thanks, Mom..." Ash said, blushing. Misty smiled.

Ash and Misty looked back at each other and smiled. They had everything they needed: They finally had each other. And, they knew they would always remember where they were now.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I hope you liked it. Please review.

Song: Remember by Allister

I'm not a fan of Allister, but I love that song.

Disclaimer: I do not own Allister, or this song.


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